I am. I don't think the GM is coming back at this point :(
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"None for me, thanks," Cat answers, trying to sound casual. "After some discussing, we're about to head to the temple of Pharasma to see if we can learn some more about the prison your father had been investigating. Is there anything we can do to help you before we head out?" As cat asks she checks her gear, making sure her knives are securely in their sheaths and her lock picks are handy, but out of sight, in preparation for their excursion to the temple and, hopefully, the graveyard afterward.
Yikes! I hope that works out for you :(
That's some good advice. The only thing I can add is that you're in a great position to play around with spells you like because there isn't a lot of pressure to have a specific set of spells you need. I'd look at the spell lists and see if any of the ones that are exclusive to the psychic strike your fancy, since you're playing the only class that could use them. :D
Cat comes down yawning to grab some breakfast. "I was thinking last night," she says to Ulfric in a conspiratorial tone. "The Professor doesn't think the Pharasmins even know about that cache. If we ask them if we can have it, it ruins and plausible deniability we might have when it turns up missing. I'm assuming that we need this stuff or the Professor wouldn't have mentioned it. I'm good at getting in and out of places quickly and without getting noticed, but that doesn't help if we straight-up tell them that we did it."
Based on my reading of the class, it's sort of cleric-like in that it's got one stat as it's main casting stat, and then a second stat (wisdom or charisma depending on which discipline you pick) that governs the secondary abilities of the phrenic pool and some of the discipline abilities. Just, unlike the cleric which can do pretty well if it nominally ignores the secondary stat's channeled energy, the Psychic gets pretty hosed if it ignores its secondary stat in the same way. I can see why it would be an easy mistake to think that the disciplines change which stat is the casting stat, though. Maybe the GM would let you readjust your Int/Wis point buy a bit, since it seems based on a misunderstanding of the rules and we haven't done any combat encounters yet?
Yeah, I was kinda surprised to be the one with the most HP in the group. I see that Kirian has summon monster, so that should be of great help in providing consistent flanks in critical situations, too. Vanish, next level, should also help get off to good positioning and catch foes flatfooted
At least you have a big phrenic pool, so you can have an additional source from which to pump save DCs, and the will of the dead amplification isn't useless when you consider that the Mind Thrust line, and most psychic offensive spells, is mind-affecting so you'd need it for undead anyway
I'm not a divination specialist, but I see a headband in your future :P
Cat spends her few hours on watch occasionally pacing around the house listening for trouble, but mostly attempting quite unsuccessfully to evoke a set of dancing lights. If her shift is uneventful as she hopes, she'll return to her room, frustrated and sleepy, to wake up Kirian and turn the watch over to her before going back to sleep.
"That order's fine with me," Cat nods.
"Speaking of tomorrow, might I suggest that we conduct ourselves with less of a sense of urgency? Hastiness often leads to mistakes. Rather than seeking the cache and going to the temple concurrently, I think it would be wiser to do them consecutively. It seems to me that an over-quickness to act contributed to the reason we're all here. I don't mean any disrespect to Professor Lorrimor, but I'd rather not share his unfortunate fate if it can be avoided with caution."
Cat gives a wry smile. "I had hoped for a more relaxing month, but if watches need to be set it's a thing I'm used to. If our days will be spent investigating, then I can use the time to study my spellbook, if nothing else. I'll take second watch. Who wants third?"
"It's a strange riddle we've been left," Cat says, pensively. "If it weren't still raining, I'd like to either try finding that cache of stuff or see what we can find at the temple. As it is, since we're going to be here a while, those things can wait until tomorrow. I've got some insight on how the Professor liked to keep things organized, though. I can help Slav try to find something helpful about this so-called Whispering Way. You know, since we're already here."
Cat listens with close attention to the entries in the journal. She's spent a lot of time with the professor, and a lot of time around Ustalav in general, and she's trying to wrack her brain to think if she's picked up any information about Harrowstone or the Whispering Way in that time...
Cat hesitates for a moment before answering, returning her thoughts to the present. She's not sure how much to say, but if she's going to be spending a lot of time with these people, it would be worth putting an effort into fully trusting them. The professor wouldn't have chosen them without good reason. "I've this scarab design before," she says. "It's the sign of the Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye." She pauses briefly, then considers that the answer might not be sufficient without telepathy. "They're a very secretive group with a lot of power, both political and arcane. While I've never seen this book before, the mere fact that the Professor had it in his possession suggests he was far more well-connected than he appeared to be. When his note says to deliver it discreetly, it's definitely an understatement."
Cat gasps a little at the last book. Over her time with the Professor she's heard, or overheard, quite a bit of esoteric information. That he would have such a book in his possession puts a lot of his interests and behavior into better context. A significant part of her wants desperately to pick the lock and find out what's inside. The knowledge it could contain could be staggering, but this Judge Daramid, if indeed connected, would be a poor choice of person to offend. The last thing she'd want to do is make a bad impression on someone like that by delivering it with signs that its been tampered with. Maybe this book can open some doors, she thinks to herself. Thoughts of possible futures after their errand to Lepidstadt distract her from the other books entirely.
One last job, eh? Cat thinks to herself as the will concludes. Should be easy enough. I only wish it wasn't necessary. "Of course," she says, nodding her head with understanding at the sleeping arrangements, and at the intention to retrieve the chest. She's been through communal sleeping arrangements in the field and is quite used to it. At least they shouldn't need to take shifts on guard duty in the house. She's not sure how the other two will feel about it, but it is what it is. "I'm at your disposal as well." Her mind wanders to the hundred platinum waiting in Lepistadt while Kendra goes to retrieve the chest. Even if it's a month away, it's certainly characteristically generous of the Professor, and should be more than enough to give her plenty of time to decide what to do with herself going forward. A month in Ravengro should also provide plenty of downtime to study her spellbook, too, a luxury she wasn't sure she'd be able to afford with Lorrimor's passing.
Cat munches on a pastry, and raises an eyebrow. She's curious about the answer to that very question, but wasn't sure when would be an un-awkward time to ask it. "I've worked with your father on many dangerous jobs," she says. "I can only guess that he knew he was in some sort of danger, but either didn't have the time to assemble a crew or didn't think the danger was significant enough to warrant it. He was a great man, but he also had a tendency to leap before he looked."
"That sounds very much like the Professor," Cat agrees. "I'm certain that if he saw potential in you, the last thing he'd want is for his death to put an end to it."
Cat, who with the warning from Kirian had instinctively reached for her knives, relaxes with a deep breath. She sees a lot of herself in the young boy's introduction, and it tugs at her already raw, and very similar, emotions. There's an itching feeling at the corner of her eyes that she hasn't felt in a very long time. "Don't bear your loss alone," she says. "I would not begrudge you joining us if you knew him well. Most of us have only just met today, but we were all share the same tie."
I've just noticed I'm on a planet!
Cat quietly contemplates the response, absorbed with her bitter memories to the point where she pretty much ignores everything else around her.
I'd agree that recruiting is probably best. Sad to lose one so quickly, though : /
"I think you give them too much credit when you assume that there's any sort of reason at all," Cat mutters bitterly in response, though the question wasn't directed at her. "Most people in this part of the world... they take everything different, whether by choice or by accident, and they treat it as a monster and shun it. I've experienced it, personally." She runs her fingers down the claw scars on the side of her face.
Cat takes a turn stepping forward. She's not much of a talker, and she's not normally a very emotional person, but this is important to her. "Professor Lorriomor was an exceedingly rare kind of person. He had a clarity of vision that most others lack. He was able to see past what you are or where you came from and see what you could be. "For all the other accomplishments he had, that talent will always stick out to me as the most important. He helped me out when nobody else would, and I will miss him greatly." She opens her mouth one more time, then closes it soundlessly, then steps off to the side looking at the sky tracing another spiral on her chest.
Cat sighs in relief and visibly relaxes. "Yeah," she agrees as she returns to a position toward the rear of the procession. "Hopefully there are no more interruptions." Thank goodness the others could keep this relatively civil.
"Yeah," adds Cat, really trying to muster something to come to her late employer's defense. "And think about how would you like it a bunch of people tried to stop you from burying your kin, just because of some ill-conceived accusations."
"Alright then," Cat says, stepping away from the casket. She doesn't really mind not having to help, given that with nobody to take the sixth spot it would have probably made things harder rather than easier. She absorbs herself in thoughts of what reason the professor might have had for inviting her to his funeral and not so many of the others they'd worked with over the years. She's pretty deep into it when the musings are suddenly interrupted. Startled, she instinctively reaches a hand toward one of her knives, stopping short of actually drawing the weapon. Still, that anyone would pull a stunt like this has raised her ire. Making a scene in a graveyard seems like a really poor way to honor professor's memory, so, even though she'd very much like to punch the old man right in the jaw, she just seethes quietly and waits for those with more tact to try handling the mob. She's pretty sure she'd only make things much worse, though a small part of her hopes they try something stupid and give her a reason to come to the professor's posthumous defense in a physically satisfying way.
Cat also traces a small spiral as she approaches the graveyard. While she's not very religious herself, she also doesn't want to risk offending a higher power. She's had a hard enough life as it is. "I'd consider it an honor, and a privilege, as well," she says, taking up a handhold. Risking offending a person? That's totally fine with her.
Cat isn't a very trusting or open person, but she makes more of an effort when it comes to others the Professor associated with. He was, after all, an excellent judge of character, especially when that good character wasn't necessarily obvious to the rest of the world. "While that sentiment's very true, I'm happy to meet other friends of the Professor at any time. I'm Cat, I worked with him sometimes in the field."
"Thank you for your hospitality," Cat says quietly and almost automatically. "Sorry for your loss. Your father always spoke about you with pride during expeditions. I'm just glad I made it in time." With that said, she takes to opportunity to snack lightly on the stuff that's been set out. Given her past, she's never one to turn down offered food in any context, though she understands the need to show a bit of restraint under the current circumstances.
"Cat," she answers, pointing at herself. "I've had the good fortune to work with the professor on several expeditions, bypassing traps and locks. You saved his life, I'm certain he saved mine. People of the professor's caliber are too hard to come by around here." She lapses into a sad silence, waiting for the other woman to introduce herself.
"It is," Cat says, nodding. "I assume you're here for the funeral as well, then. Did you know him well?" A third person walks up to the door. In another context she might have been nervous, but if this half-orc was also an associate of Lorrimor's, then he was probably an OK guy. The professor was never shy about hiring the best people, regardless of their origins, and so she'd had to work with a few of them before. She gives him a slight nod of acknowledgement.
Cat looks around the town square, re-orienting herself. It's intentionally been a while since she's been back here. There are so many unpleasant memories from before Lorrimor had essentially rescued her. The buildings and sky perpetually on the verge of rain seem much less ominous now than it did back then, though. Her circumstances are more controlled now, but she can't help reliving some of the feelings of being small and alone here. After a slight adjustment of her backpack on her shoulders, she sets off down the street. She knows the house she's looking for, having broken into it once in another life. The front door had been open for her since. This time is more like the first, though, with a distinct feeling of unease in the approach. She holds the letter in one hand while she knocks with the other. Hopefully she's made it in time to be a part of the proceedings.
Dotting in and updating the profile. Really looking forward to this one! |